New Zealand urges its citizens in Ukraine to leave immediately

A service member of the Ukrainian armed forces walks at combat positions near the line of separation from Russian-backed rebels outside the town of Avdiivka in the Donetsk Region, Ukraine February 11, 2022.

New Zealand's foreign ministry urged on Saturday all New Zealanders in Ukraine to leave immediately in response to heightened tensions between Russia and Ukraine.

"Aotearoa New Zealand does not have diplomatic representation in Ukraine and the government’s ability to provide consular assistance to New Zealanders in Ukraine is therefore very limited," the foreign ministry said in a statement.

"The security situation in Ukraine could change at short notice and New Zealanders should not rely on support with evacuating in these circumstances."

The warning came after U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who left Australia on Saturday, said that Russia could launch an invasion of Ukraine at any time and Washington and other countries urged their citizens to leave Ukraine. 

Source: Reuters / Reporting in Melbourne by Lidia Kelly; Editing by William Mallard